Insecurity Follows: The Other Side of Florida

There will soon be more Puerto Ricans living in Florida than in New York. This article discusses this wave, which has been occurring for several years, and consists of Puerto Ricans migrating to Florida due to the economic crisis on the Island, as well as Puerto Ricans moving to Florida from other U.S. states. These migrations are transforming Florida in many ways: this article provides an overview of some political, social, and economic implications.

This article provides the perspective of community leaders in Florida, who are concerned about the increase of the Puerto Rican population in that region. They explain that many of those who arrive in Florida face numerous unexpected struggles. For instance, they have difficulty finding jobs, sometimes because the available jobs require fluency in English. In addition, they are forced to live in shelters due to the large waitlist for low income households. These community leaders insist that Puerto Ricans become fully oriented before deciding to migrate.

This article discusses how Orlando, and Central Florida in general, have become the main targets of Puerto Rican migration, surpassing all other locales. Yet, Puerto Ricans have diverse difficulties once they arrive in the mainland, and Florida’s regional Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration office struggles to help all recent arrivals. For instance, the available jobs require fluency in English and there are not enough rental properties available. Nonetheless, many Puerto Rican migrants are still relieved to escape the Island’s expensive cost of living and lack of opportunities.

Many of the Puerto Ricans who migrate to Florida, escaping the economic crisis on the Island, find that they must confront other types of problems on the mainland. This article focuses on the problem of housing, which has forced many Puerto Rican migrants to live in motels. Acquiring a home depends on a series of requirements: a good credit history, cash to cover housing costs, a salary that is three times the rent, and a background check, among others. One person interviewed for the article explains that Puerto Ricans are not sufficiently informed nor prepared for the reality that they face in Florida.

Many Puerto Ricans who migrated to Florida in search of better opportunities have been extremely disappointed with the struggles they have encountered. This article outlines the ways in which the demand of resources has affected Florida, such as rent prices incrementing, government services becoming insufficient, schools becoming overpopulated, and the lack of Spanish-speaking teachers for the Puerto Rican youth immigrants. Furthermore, the article describes the population that has been most affected: those without formal education, those who do not have savings, and those who arrive without an established job.

This short clip from Telemundo shows the illegal employment practices of the company, Joint Alliance Staffing, that promised to bring over 150 Puerto Ricans to South Carolina, and provide them with housing and an adequate paycheck. This company many Puerto Ricans and left them without homes as the company owed a debt to the hotels that were supposed to house them. Additionally, many worked 40+ hour work weeks and only received $20 paychecks.